MVP and RD Community Powers Connection and Innovation at Microsoft Build 2026

A Community-Driven Experience

From demo and lightning talk sessions to hands-on labs and informal table talks, MVPs and RDs were deeply embedded across the Microsoft Build experience. They contributed as speakers, experts, proctors, and facilitators, helping developers explore new technologies and translate announcements into practical insights. MVPs and RDs also had priority seating at the keynote, creating a strong community presence for one of Microsoft Build’s most visible moments.

Microsoft Build 2026 featured a wide range of session formats—including breakouts, labs, demos, lightning talks, and table talk discussions—designed to create both technical depth and peer-to-peer learning opportunities.

The MVP Program team also partnered with multiple MVPs to deliver, “So You Want to Become an MVP ,” offering attendees a closer look at the program and the community behind it. Together, the team and MVP speakers answered questions about how the program works, what it recognizes, and what it’s like to be an MVP. 

Supporting the Global Livestream Audience

MVPs also helped extend the Microsoft Build experience to developers tuning in remotely by supporting livestream moderation on YouTube. During two-hour moderator shifts, MVPs jumped into chat to engage with viewers, keep the energy up, and help create a welcoming, high-quality online experience for a global developer audience.

Their role included answering technical questions in real time in English, helping viewers connect session content to practical implementation, and making the online broadcast feel more interactive and community-driven. This support was another meaningful example of MVPs meeting developers where they are, whether in person at Build or online from around the world.

Their involvement extended beyond formal sessions. Throughout the event, MVPs and RDs engaged directly with attendees at the Skilling Hub, Expert Meetup booths, and Community Finder activation, helping foster an environment where developers could learn, connect, and collaborate.

MVP Connect: Bringing the Community Together

MVP Connect offered MVPs and RDs a relaxed social gathering before Microsoft Build, creating dedicated time to connect with one another, engage with product group teams, and spend time with the MVP Program team. With delicious food, drinks, and informal conversation, the event gave community members a welcoming space to reconnect, meet new peers, and build relationships ahead of the broader conference experience.

The gathering was intentionally designed to make conversation easy and natural, helping MVPs share ideas, strengthen peer relationships, and have direct touchpoints with the product groups they collaborate with throughout the year. It also created an approachable setting for the MVP Program team to listen, answer questions, and celebrate the community in person.

Moments like MVP Connect reinforce what makes the MVP community so valuable: relationships built through shared expertise, open conversation, and a genuine commitment to helping one another learn, connect, and grow.

Expanding Impact Beyond Build

The momentum from Microsoft Build doesn’t stop when the event ends. MVPs and RDs are instrumental in extending Microsoft Build’s reach through community-led initiatives like Build //localhost events hosted through the Microsoft Reactor, bringing content and learnings back to local developer communities around the world.

These post-event engagements ensure that insights from Microsoft Build are shared broadly, enabling more developers to benefit from the knowledge, resources, and innovations introduced during the event.

A Thank You to Our Community

The success of Microsoft Build 2026 is a direct reflection of the passion, expertise, and generosity of the MVP and RD community.

From delivering sessions and mentoring attendees, to creating welcoming spaces and amplifying conversations, MVPs and RDs continue to shape what it means to build a thriving, global developer ecosystem.

As we look ahead, their role remains essential, not just in supporting Microsoft events, but in driving innovation, fostering inclusion, and helping developers everywhere learn, connect, and grow.

Learn more about the MVP Program 

To find an MVP and learn more about the MVP Program visit the MVP Communities website and follow our updates on LinkedIn.

Join us for a future live session through the Microsoft Reactor where we walk through what the MVP program is about, what we look for, and how nominations work. These sessions are designed to help you connect the dots between the work you’re already doing and the impact the MVP Program recognizes - with time for questions, examples, and real conversations.